Radiator cap testing device accumulator



Feb. 27, 1962 Filed Deo. 23, 1957 J. F. BLACK 3,022,658

RADIATOR CAP TESTING DEVICE ACCUMULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 G`" j INVENTOR.

JOHN .HLAC/r BY R/cHEY, WA 77's, 06f/PTOM,

SME/VN YJ FA JeP/N6 70N.

A TOENEYS Feb. 27, 1962 J. F. BLACK RADIATOR CAP TESTING DEVICE AccUMULAToR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Deo. 25, 1957 IIIIIIIIA IN, my un wat Af N5 m fw, BY E H C R 3,022,658 RADIATOR CAP TESTING BEVICE ACCUMULATOR John F. Binck, 307 Morewood Parkway, Cleveland, *3h10 Filed Dec. 23, 1957, Ser. No. 704,704 3 Claims. (Cl. 73-4t}) This invention relates to improvements in my eopending application, Serial No. 589,766, tiled lune 6, 1956, now abandoned, entitled Automobile Cooling System Testing Device and is a continuation-in-pmt thereof.

The invention pertains to testing apparatus for automobile cooling systems and the radiator pressure caps therefor.

The object of the invention resides 'm an accumulator cylinder operatively connected to a testing device having a gauge thereon to indicate the fall in pressure in the event the radiator cap being tested is defective.

Another object of the invention is to provide a testing device for radiator caps which is light in weight, portable, susceptible of ready attachment of the cap, eticient of operation and economic of manufacture, easy and quick to use. Also, since cooling systems are being produced with increasing pressure ratings, this invention facilitates checking such heavier caps which wourd be difcult to check by means of bulb or hand pump.

Other objects and advantages more or less ancillary to the foregoing, and Ithe manner in which all the various objects are realized, will appear in the folowing description, which considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, sets forth the preferred embodiment of the invention.

`In the drawings:

FIG. l is a longitudinal sectional view of the testing device and accumulator;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view through the testing unit, the section being taken on a plane indicated by the line 2 2 in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view through the valve for the accumulator;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal section through a testing device of a modilied form; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view through the testing device shown in FIG. 4, the section being taken on a plme indicated by the lines 5 5 in FIG. 4.

Referring first to FIG. l, the apparatus comprises a metallic seamless tube (approximately two (2") long) having radiatorrller necks 1-1 secured in air tight relation in the opposed ends thereof. The filler necks are of the usual form which embody a tubularrshank 12, an inturned flange 13 in one end thereofy constituting valve seats, and a transversely disposed flange or end wall 14. The end wall is formed with a pair of diametrically opposed notches 15 therein for the reception of radial ears on the radiator cap, and the remaining portion of the end wall is provided with depending flanges formed with inclined cams 16 for drawing the cap into intitinited States Patent Patented Feb. 27, 192

25 thereon which is faced with a rubber gasket 26 engageable with the valve seat 13 in the filler neck. The rubber gasket 26 is held in intimate engagement with the seat 13 by a helical spring 27 interposed between the disc 22 and the cup 24. When the cap is in position on the ller neck, tensive elfort on the gasket and valve seat is provided by screwing the cap down over the inclined edges of the cams 16. Thus, when radiator caps are disposed in both ends of the tube 10, a chamber 46 is defined between the cups 24, and chambers 146 are donned at each end of the tube 1t) between the cups and the ends of the tube.

The Vpressure radiator caps vary somewhat in depth and are also made with variable spring loading for automobile radiators of different type and make, hence, for the convenience of the user of the testing apparatus, a filler neer. to receive the most popular short type cap is secured in one end of the tube 16, while the longer type is mounted in the other end.

The central portion of the tube 1@ is drilled and tapped to receive the threaded shank of an air gauge 28, and a tube 29 is threaded into a tapped opening in the opposed side thereof. The tube 29 communicates with a valve cage 31 embodying a horizontal cavity 32, an interconnecting counterbore 33 and a bore 34. The counterbore terminates above the base of the valve cage and denes a ledge constituting a valve seat 35 for a mate engagement with the end wall 14 of the ller neck.

The ends of the cams 16 are formed with depending lugs to limit the rotative movement of the cap as it is revolved over the cams 16 or screwed into locked position with the filler neck.

The radiator caps 18 comprise an annular metal stamping 61 having opposed linger grip lugs 19 thereon and a depending ange 20. The ange is fabricated with inturned ears 21 intermediate the lugs, adapted to enter the notches 15 in the filler neck and engage the cams 16. The inner face of the cap 1S is provided with a spring metal disc 22 engageable with the end wall 14 of the ller neck, and a post 23 slidably engaged with an inverted cup 24. The cup is formed with a ange poppet valve 36. The valve stern 37 is guided in the bore 34 and a helical spring 38 is mounted on the stem between the inner face of the ledge for the valve seat 35 and a valve stem cross pin 4t) to urge the valve into engaged relation with the valve seat. The end 41 of the valve stem protrudes beyond the top of the valve cage so actuation of the valve may be attained by the application of inger pressure thereon. The bottom of the valve cage is connected to a nipple 42 threaded into the wall of a reservoir or accumulator tank 43. The accumulator is provided with a tire valve 44 of conventional forni to facilitate the introduction of air under pressure therein. The accumulator is preferably charged by a hose connected to an air compressor that normally delivers onehundred and fifty pounds lbs.) psi., though other injeetion means may substitute therefor and are contemplated as falling within the scope of the invention. A safety valve 109 may, if desired, be mounted in the accumulator as a safeguard therefor, as shown in FIGURE 1, and/ or an air guage itil may be employed in the assembly as shown in FIGURE 4.

The tube 1t? and the filler necks `11 are cross-drilled adjacent the outer ends thereofV to provide openings 45 for the escapernent of air within the voids intermediate the valve seats and discs 22.

In operation, the gasoline station attendant or garage mechanic making the test, first removes the cap to be tested from the automobile and inspects the marking thereon that shows the spring load thereof. He then screws the cap being tested on one end or" the tube 1G and screws another cap having a heavier spring therein upon the other end of the tube. This cap having the heavier spring therein serves both as a closure device for one nd of the tube and a safety valve. He next momentarily depresses the end 41 of the valve stem to release compressed air from the accumulator. Air from the accumulator iiows into the chamber 46 under pressure and thus exerts a pressure against both of the valves 47. The weaker of the two springs 27 in the two caps will yield, permitting a passageway from the chamber 46 to one of the chambers 146 to open. The air will pass through the chamber 146 and escape through the opening 45. The air will continue to escape until the pressure has been reduced to such an extent that it is equal to the pressure exterted by the weaker spring 27 at which time the valve26 will close against the valve seat =13. A pressure gauge 28, which is in communication with the chamber 46, Will then show the pressure exerted by the air in the chamber 46 which is inY equilibrium with the spring 27 of the valve that had yielded andrthus equal to the spring pressure of that cap. 1f the' valve that yielded wasY the cap used as a relief valve, the operator knows that the cap being tested is not functioning properly in'that its spring pressure is greater than that of the relief valve. For this reason the tested valve ymust requireV pressure higher than the rated value before it will open, inasmuch as the relief valve Was selected as one having a higher value than the rated value of the cap being tested. If the cap being tested is the valve that yielded, then the gauge Will indicate the'spring pressure of the cap being tested. The operator can then compare that value with the rated value of the cap being tested toV determine whether it is proper. The operator then observes the gauge 28 to be sure that there is no leakage occurring around the valve 26 and the valve seat 13. lf there is such leakage, the gauge 23 wiil show a gradual decrease in pressure due to leakage.

When a cap is tested and it is found that they spring pressure is inadequate, a plain rubber washer of a suitable thickness and/ordurometermay be inserted between the vvalve seat 13 in the iiller neck and the valve ange 26 to build the spring load to the requisite pressure, and YthusV avoidthe necessity of purchasing a new cap assembly. Y Y

In the modified form illustrated in FIG. 4, the tube completely set forth, it is to be understood that the specic terminology is not intended to be restrictive or conning, and that various rearrangements of parts and modifications of detail may be resorted to Without departing Vfrom the scope or'spirit of the invention as herein claimed.

10 is longer than the tube illustrated in FIG. l, but the'Y length Vof the chamber y49 indicated by the arrows between the filler necks, is lilled With a plug 50 made of Wood or any other material which is capable of reducing the volumetric capacity of the -chamber 49.Y The plug is formed with a lineal passagewaySl in the cylindrical Wall thereof which communicates with the void below the f valve seats 13 and additional passageways 52 and 53 leading from the air inlet tube 29 and air gauge 28 respectively communicate therewith to facilitate the operation of the unit. The plug may be made with a clearance around `the circumference thereof and the passageways 52 and 53 may then be omitted.

The object of this form of 'the testing device is tov a detailed character, in order that the invention may be vWhat is claimed is:

1. A testing device for an automobile pressure'radiator cap, comprising, a tube having radiator ller necks formed at opposite ends of said tube, each of said filler necks being adapted to vreceive a spring loaded radiator cap, a radiator cap having a spring tension of a known value removably connected to the radiator liller nec at one end of said tube, said cap being a safety valve and constituting a closure for one end of the tube, an air guage communicating with said tube intermediate the filler necks, an accumulator tank in communication with said tube intermediate the ller necks, and a valve connected to said accumulator for controlling'the admission of air .into said tube.

2. In combination, a testing device for an automobile pressure radiator cap comprising, a tube having a radiator ller neck formed at each of two opposite ends thereof, each of said filler necks being adapted to receive a spring loadedrradiator cap, a radiator cap'including a spring of known tension removably connected to one Vof said filler necks, the mentioned capv being a safety valve and constituting a closure for one endfof the tube, an air gaugecommunicating with said Itube `intermediate the filler necks, a second radiator cap khaving a spring of unknown tension connected to the other of said filler necks, said second cap constituting a closure for the other end of said tube, said tube including breathing apertures adjacent each end thereof and exteriorly of a pressure chamber dened by the tube, said filler necks and said radiator caps, said air gauge being in communication with said pressure chamber, and a conduit projecting through an aperture in the tube and sealed to the tube, the conduit being in uid pressure conducting communication with said pressure chamber. n

3. The `device of claim 2 wherein each of the ller necks includes an end wall and a valve seat spaced therefrom and wherein each of the radiator caps includes a Ygasket biased into Ysmooth sealing abutment with ythe valve vseat by lthe mentioned vspring and a spring metal disc engagingrthe end Wall.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

